The game of golf continues to gain widespread popularity. Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players—players of different genders and dramatically different ages and/or skill levels. Golf is somewhat unique in the sporting world in that such diverse collections of players can play together in golf events, even in direct competition with one another (e.g., using handicapped scoring, different tee boxes, in team formats, etc.), and still enjoy the golf outing or competition. These factors, together with the increased availability of golf programming on television (e.g., golf tournaments, golf news, golf history, and/or other golf programming) and the rise of well known golf superstars, at least in part, have increased golf's popularity in recent years, both in the United States and across the world.
Golfers at all skill levels seek to improve their performance, lower their golf scores, and reach that next performance “level.” Manufacturers of all types of golf equipment have responded to these demands, and in recent years, the industry has witnessed dramatic changes and improvements in golf equipment. For example, a wide range of different golf ball models now are available, with balls designed to complement specific swing speeds and/or other player characteristics or preferences, e.g., with some balls designed to fly farther and/or straighter; some designed to provide higher or flatter trajectories; some designed to provide more spin, control, and/or feel (particularly around the greens); some designed for faster or slower swing speeds; etc. A host of swing and/or teaching aids also are available on the market that promise to help lower one's golf scores.
Being the sole instrument that sets a golf ball in motion during play, golf clubs also have been the subject of much technological research and advancement in recent years. Technological advancements to golf clubs have provided improved performance for golfers. Such advancements include new features directed to both golf club shafts and golf club heads. For example, the market has seen dramatic changes and improvements in putter designs, golf club head designs, shafts, and grips in recent years. For example, golf club heads can be equipped with various structures that allow the golfer to adjust the characteristics of the golf club for the golfer's particular swing tendencies or for particular types of golf shots. Additionally, other technological advancements have been made in an effort to better match the various elements and/or characteristics of the golf club and characteristics of a golf ball to a particular user's swing features or characteristics (e.g., club fitting technology, ball launch angle measurement technology, ball spin rates, etc.).
While the industry has witnessed dramatic changes and improvements to golf equipment in recent years, there is room in the art for further advances in golf club technology. For example, while golf clubs and golf club heads according to the prior art provide a number of advantageous features, they nevertheless have certain limitations. For example, golfers find certain adjustability features cumbersome to implement, and some golfers are still searching for the ability to more finely tune the adjustability of the golf club. Aspects of the present disclosure seek to overcome certain of these limitations and other drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide new features not heretofore available.